Artificial leg



(No Model.)

L. & A. E. CROSBY.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

No. 299,465. Patented May 27, 1884.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYSANDER CROSBY AND ALMON-E. CROSBY, OF ALBIA, IOWA.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,465, dated May 27, 1884.

Application filed November 23, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LYSANDER ORosBY and ALMON E. GRosBY, citizens of the United States, residing at Albia, in the county of Monroe and State of 'Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Legs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdesoription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective view of an artificial leg with our improvements attached. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through a: w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail to be referred to.

Our present invention relates to a device for giving a movement to the artificial limb approaching as nearly as may be to the natural movements of the various muscles of the ankle and foot; and it consists in the combination of devices hereinafter explained andclaimed.

In the drawings, A represents the toe-joint of the foot, and B a block corresponding to the lower hollow portion of the foot, to which the toe-joint is attached by the metal hook G, the front end of which hook fits over a transverse bar, D, the rear end being secured in the block 13 by means of a nut or any other convenient means. The-hook 0 allows a natural motion to the toe-block, which at the sametime holds it in place. Below the hook G the toe-block A is attached to the block B by means of a rubber spring, E, which takes the place of the muscles of the toe-joint, and which allows to some extent a natural upward bend of the toes. The hook C may be dupli cated' horizontally, if desired, to prevent too much lateral movement in the joints of the foot, as shown in Fig. 3. The block B is also attached to the ankle-block F by means of an,

elastic cord, G, which takes the place of the muscles of the ankle-joint- The heel-cord H is attached at its lower end to the block B, and, passing through the ankle-block F, is secured on the upper face of the block F. This heel-cord is preferably made of shoe-thread covered with buckskin, and takes the place of the natural hee1-cord of the foot.

I represents an ankle-hook, which, being secured by any convenient means at the top of the ankle-block, passes down centrally and hooks over the transverse roll J, which is fluted to receivethe hook, as shown in Fig. 4. For heavy persons the ankle-hooks should be duplicated laterally in order to prevent lateral motion in the ankle. The front plate, K, serves as a stay or brace to the limb,while the rubber spring L regulates the tension to suit the wearer. The side braces, M, are secured to the ankle-block by bolts or screws, and with the bar M forms the knee-joint, the motion of which is limited and controlled by the rubber spring L.

This artificial limb is made entirely of rubber, excepting the foot and ankle blocks, and is self adjustable, and shapes itself to the stump, while in the wooden limb now generally in use the stump has to shape itself to the limb, thus rendering the old style of limbs much less pleasant and less agreeable than our improved limb.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The toe-joint A, provided with the transverse bar D, in combination with the hook (3, rubber spring E, and block B, all constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The toe-j oint A, provided with the transverse bar D, in combination with the hook G, spring E, block B, elastic cord G, and ankleblock F, all constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The block B, elastic cord G, and ankleblock F, provided with the transverse roll J, heel-cord H, and ankle-hook I, in combination with the toe-joint A, provided with the transverse bar D, the hook O, and spring E, all constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witnesses:

WV. E. SMITH, ANDREW J. CASADAY. 

